Cabinet for office communication apparatus



Nova 15, 1949 E. w. BREISCH 2,488,372

I CABINET FOR OFFICE COMMUNICATION APPARATUS Filed Feb. 11, 1946 I 2Sheets-Sheet 1 1 I I I l I I I I I l I I I I IN VEN TOR I BY 47 WZi'mzQa.

1715' ATTORNEY Nov. 15, 1949 z w. BREISCH CABINET FOR OFFICECOMMUNICATION APPARATUS Filed Feb. 11, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet III-untillllllllvlllllllhfl V INVENTOR Myer! Wflpaz'safi.

BY ad Hi9 ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 15, 1949 CABINET FOR OFFICECOMMUNICATION APPARATUS Edgar W. Breisch, Edgewood, Pa., assignor to TheUnion Switch & Signal Company, Sw1ssvale, Pa., a corporation ofPennsylvania Application February 11, 1946, Serial No. 546,736

3 Claims. (Cl. 175-298) My invention relates to cabinets for officecommunication apparatus, and more particularly to cabinets forcommunication apparatus arranged in assemblies.

' In communication systems the apparatus is generally arranged inassemblies. For example, in railway train communication systems theapparatus is generally arranged in a receiver assembly, a transmitterassembly and a power assembly. Each of these assemblies comprises anumber of related devices mounted on a common frame or chassis and theassembly can be handled as a unit. Such assemblies have a relativelylarge number of circuit connections with outside circuits, and suchoutside circuit connections are frequently completed through a plug-intype of connector, one element of this connector being fixed on theportable assembly and the other unit being fixed in the cabinet in whichthe assembly is located. With such an arrangement each assembly has adefinite assigned location in the cabinet. Many of the circuitsassociated with each assembly must be tested from time to time to checkthe operating condition of the circuits and to facilitate this testingthe circuits should be made accessible for connecting testinginstruments thereto. Confusion of the circuits is avoided if the wirescan be kept in an orderly manner as they are run in the housing to theassociated terminals of the assemblies. Also, time is saved in theoriginal wiring of the housing when the wire channels are located to beconvenient to the workmen. Furthermore, such assemblies function morequietly and with less static when each assembly is locked in place andvibration thereof is avoided.

Accordingly, a feature of my invention is the provision of a novel andimproved cabinet for assemblies of communication apparatus and wherewiththe interior of the cabinet can be readily arranged to accommodateassemblies of different designs and dimensions and outside circuits ofwidely different characters can be segregated to avoid interferencetherebetween.

Another feature of my invention is the provision of a cabinet forapparatus of the type here involved incorporating novel means forlocating the different assemblies of the apparatus at preselectedlocations in the cabinet and locating the terminals of the variouscircuits so as to be acces sible for making the original connections andfor maintenance testing.

Again, a feature of my invention is the provision of a communicationapparatus cabinet incorporating improved means for bringing the wires ofthe circuits to designated terminals in an orderly manner.

Still another feature of my invention is the provision of a novelapparatus cabinet of relatively rugged structure, of neat appearance foroffice installation and of relatively simple and inexpensiveconstruction.

Other features, objects and advantages of my invention will appear asthe specification progresses.

To attain the foregoing features, objects and advantages of myinvention, I provide a metal case of neat construction and the interiorof which is such as to permit various arrangements of shelving forholding assemblies of different dimensions. A compartment at the bottomof the case serves as a space into which the lead wires of the outsidecircuits enter the cabinet. The terminals for receiving these outsidelead wires are mounted in the front end of the cabinet and adjacent toboth sides of a door frame, the terminal support being V-shaped with oneleg welded to the inside of the case and the terminals mounted on theother leg so that the terminals face the door and are readily accessiblefor original connection of the Wires thereto and for con necting aninstrument for testing purposes. The problem of bringing the lead Wiresfrom the bottom compartment to these terminals is solved by making thedoor frames of channel shape and wide enough to serve as a wire chaseand each individual wire can be readily brought up from the compartmentto the terminal without special treatment, such as lacing of the wires.This position of the wires makes it easy for the workmen to put theWires in place. Also the Wires are fully protected and are unexposedgiving a neat appearance to the interior of the cabinet.

Each shelf is secured to a support welded to the inside of the cabinetand a shelving arrangement can be provided to accommodate assemblies ofdifferent dimensions with no change in the basic design of the case.Each shelf is of an inverted channel construction to give the shelfample strength and at the same time provide a compartment underneath theshelf in which locking means can be secured. Supporting members aresecured to the rear element of the shelf and these supporting membersserve for mounting one unit of a plug-in type of connector. For example,the plug contact unit of such a connector would preferably be secured tosuch supporting member. Means at the back of the case and at each sideserves to retain in place the wires run from the terminals of theconnectors to corresponding terminals mounted near the door. This extraspace at the back of each shelf also makes it possible for wires ofspecial circuits, such as high frequency circuits, to be brought intothe case through special openings directly to the associated assembly,and thus avoid interference with the power and the control circuitsbrought into the compartment at the bottom of the case.

Each shelf is equipped with guide bars, interlocking plates and a wormwheel so that each assembly can be easily drawn into place to engage theunits of the connector, and also to lock each assembly in place to avoidvibration. Conversely, such means aids in disengaging the cormector whenan assembly is to be removed. Furthermore, the interlocking means issuch that only a unit or assembly of proper. constructioncan be placedon that shelf.

I shall describe one form Of cabinet embodying my invention and shallthenpoint out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying; drawings, Figs. 1 and 2 are front elevation and"top views, respectively, showing one former cabinet embodying myinvention when used for office apparatus ofrailway train'communicationsystems, the door of the cabinet being'removed'in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is aview showing the mounting of the terminals of the cabinet of Figs. land2.

In each of the different views like reference characters designatesimilar parts.

It is to be understood that cabinets embodying my invention are notlimited to use with railway train communication apparatus and this oneuse serves to illustrate the many places such cabinets are useful.

Referring to the drawings, the reference character l designates a caseof .a cabinet and which case is preferably arectangular sheet iron caseof dimensions preselected suitable for the apparatus to be housedtherein. A sub-base l l of suitable material, such as stainless steel,is securedto the bottom-of the case [0 and serves as a mopping striptoprevent damage to the cabinet when installed on the floor.

Directly. above the sub-base- H is a compartment l2 reserved for theincoming lead wires of the outside circuits associated with'theapparatus housed inthe cabinet. Twoconduit hubs [3 are providedone ateach side of the case to provide means for bringing the wires into thecompartment I2 from either'direction. A front panel M of the compartmentI2 is secured in place by screws [5 and this panel can be readilyremoved andthe interior of the compartment l2 exposed so as tofacilitate thedistribution' of the wires to different wire channelsto'bedescribed later, and with the panel l4 put back in place thecrisscrossing of the'wires is concealedto give a neat appearance to theinterior of the cabinet.

The front of the'case l0 is'formed with a door frame 20, the verticaldoor jambs of which frame are shaped to formwire' chases2l and 22, oneon each side of the door. An enclosing door 23 is retained in placethrough locating pins 24and 25 fitting into" holes inithe top of thepanel 14 and two'la't'ches 26" and?! near the top of the cabinet. Thusthis door 23 can be removed to provide access to theinterior of thecabinet. Also the door is of such a width and height thatthe assemblleshoused in the cablnetcan be readily installedtherein.

In the form ofcabinet here disclosed, three shelves, a top shelf IS, amiddle shelf l1 and'a lower shelf [8, are provided. The shelves arealike and each is of an inverted pan shaped structure. That is, eachshelf has a dependent portion on all sides making a relatively rigidconstruction and also providing a protected compartment below eachshelf. Each shelf is bolted to a channel shaped support l9 welded to theinside of the case, there being one support at each end of the shelf.Each support I9 is made to extend out from the case a preselecteddistance to provide a space for carrying circuit wires along each end ofthe shelf. Each shelf is made of a length so as to slide easily intoplace between two supports [9. It is clear that with such a structurethe spacing of the shelves can be readily arranged to accommodatedifferent assemblies of different dimensions. That is to say, anyspecific shelving arrangement can easily be provided by properpositioning of the supports l9 and such arrangements can be made withoutany change in the basic design of the case H].

A vertical support 28 is secured to the back member of each shelf. Thetop shelf IS on which two receiving assemblies are located is providedwith two such supports 28. Each support 28 carries one unit of a plug-inconnector, each support 28 and its associated connector unit beinglocated for the. unit to mate with the other unit of the connectorsecured to the frame of the associated assembly.

Each shelf is equipped with interlocking plates, guide bars anda wormwheel for each assembly, the top shelf 16 having two sets of suchdevices to take care of the two receiving assemblies located thereon.Looking at Fig. 2, two beveled guide bars 29 and 30, two interlockingplates 3! and 32, and a worm wheel 33 are provided for a first one ofthe receiving assemblies. The guide bars 2s and 30 are accurately weldedto the shelf l6 and are beveled to fit two guide bars secured to theframe of the associated assembly and indicated at 34 and 35 in Fig. 1.The guide bars 29 and 30 secured to the shelf l6 are arranged in aV-shaped pattern so that the assembly when slid into place on the shelfhas its guide bars 34 and 35, also of a V-shaped pattern, mating andlooking with the guide bars on the shelf when the assembly has reachedits final position.

The two interlocking plates 3| and 32 are provided with slots 36 and 3'!which mate with plates secured on the assembly frame. It is to be seentherefore that only assemblies having plates positioned properly to fitthe slots 36 and 37 can be mounted in this position on the shelf Hi. Itis to be observed that plates 38 and 39 for the other assembly mountedon shelf I6 have slots differently spaced from those of the plates 3|and 32 and thus with the interlocking plates of the different shelvesand different assemblies arranged in a different order each assembly canbe placed only in its proper place in the cabinet.

The worm wheel 33 is secured to a small shaft 40 journaled on theunderside of the shelf 16, the arrangement being such that the wormwheel extends up through an opening in the shelf to engage a rack fixedto the frame of the associated assembly. The outer end of the shaft isformed with a-head 4| to receive a socket wrench. Thus when an assemblyis tobe housed the assembly can be slid onto the shelf with the guidebar of the assembly straddling with the guide bars on the shelf, if theinterlocking plates of the assembly mate with the slots of theinterlocking plates of the shelf. The assembly canbe slid into place farenough for the rackof the assembly to engage the worm: wheel 33. Theworm wheel 33.is then turned through thewrench fitting onto the head 4|of the shaft 40. and the assembly is drawn into its final place toconnect the units of the plug-in connector. At this final position, theguide bars are drawn into firm engagement due to their V-shaped pattern,and the assembly is locked against all vibration.

Control and power connecting wires from each connector secured to theback of a shelf are carried to terminals 41 located in a verticalarrangement just inside of the door frame of the same shelf. V-shapedmetal strips 42 form terminal supports, one leg of each strip 42 beingWelded to the wall of the case Ill and the terminals 41 being mounted onthe free leg of the strip. As shown in Fig. 3, each terminal 41 ispreferably secured to the strip 42 through an insulation lock 43. Theleads from the connector to the terminals are held in place andconcealed through Z- shaped strips 44 screwed to the shelf support 19.

The wires of the outside circuits for an assembly are brought in throughthe compartment I2 in the manner explained hereinbefore, and theindividual wires are brought up to the terminals 41 adjacent the shelfwhich holds the associated assembly through one or the other of the wirechases 20 or 21. The position of the wire chases 20 and 2| just insidethe door and the position of the terminals 41 just inside the door makeit easy to install the wires and at the same time the wiring isprotected and almost entirely concealed.

Special openings 45 on each side of the case I0 are provided adjacent tothe receiver and transmitter shelves and cable grips are inserted inthese openings for bringing in cables from high frequency or specialcircuits. Each support 28 is provided with a special terminal 46 forreceiving such high frequency Cables and thus the high frequencycircuits are brought into the proper assembly without interference withthe control of power circuits.

A cabinet such as here disclosed has the advantages that all control andpower lead wires enter through conduit hubs in a separate compartment atthe bottom of the cabinet, vertical wire chases built into the frame ofthe door make it easy to run the wires to their terminals and the wiresare protected and concealed, the supporting means for the individualshelves allow special arrangement of the shelving without a change inthe cabinet case, the shelves are equipped with interlocking and lockingfeatures to assure that only proper assemblies can be placed on anyshelf and the assembly can be easily drawn into place for engagementwith the associated connector unit, an assembly can be readilydisconnected for replacement by a new assembly, terminals supportedvertically adjacent to each shelf and at the front near the door make iteasy to wire the housing and to test the circuits, all wiring of thecabinet is largely concealed and protected, and high frequencyconnections are brought in where interference with the other circuits isavoided.

Although I have herein shown and described but one form of cabinet foroffice communication apparatus embodying my invention, it is understoodthat various changes and modifications may be made therein within thescope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scopeof my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a housing for electrical apparatus assemblies, the combinationcomprising, a metal case, a pair of shelf supports secured to oppositeinside walls of said case, a shelf secured to said shelf supports, avertical panel member secured to the rear flange of said shelf to mountone unit of a plug-in connector in a position predetermined with respectto said shelf, and a pair of interlocking plates secured to said shelfand each said plate having a slot disposed in a position predeterminedwith respect to the position of said one connector unit wherebyassemblies provided with interlocking plates can be slid onto said shelffor the other unit of said connector fixed on the assembly to engagesaid one connector unit only when the interlocking plates fixed on theassembly mate with said slots of said interlocking plates secured tosaid shelf.

2. In a housing for electrical apparatus assemblies, the combinationcomprising, a case having a shelf secured therein, means to mount oneunit of a plug-in connector in said case in a position predeterminedwith respect to said shelf, and a pair of interlocking plates secured tosaid shelf and each said plate provided with a slot disposed in apredetermined position with respect to the position of said oneconnector unit whereby assemblies provided with interlocking plates andhaving fixed thereon the other unit of said plugin connector can behoused on said shelf in position for the connector units to engage eachother only when such assembly is provided with interlocking plates thatmate with said slots of the interlocking plates secured to said shelf.

3. In a housing for electrical apparatus assei: blies, the combinationcomprising, a case having a shelf secured therein, means to mount oneunit of a plug-in connector in said case in a position predeterminedwith respect to said shelf, a pair of guide bars secured to said shelfin a V-pattern in a position predetermined with respect to the positionof said one connector unit, said guide bars formed with looking surfacesto engage locking surfaces of mating guide bars secured to an assemblywhen such assembly is slid onto said shelf for the other unit of saidplug-in connector mounted on the assembly to engage with said oneconnector unit mounted in said case, a pair of interlocking platessecured to said shelf and each such plate having a slot disposed in aposition predetermined with respect to the position of said oneconnector unit, whereby assemblies provided with interlocking plates canbe housed on said shelf for said connector units to engage and saidguide bars to lock the assembly in place only when such assembly isprovided with interlocking plates that mate with said slots of theinterlocking plates secured to said shelf.

EDGAR W. BREISCH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,379,767 Krantz May 31, 19211,718,374 Oberst May 25, 1929 1,791,446 French Feb. 3, 1931 1,883,893Flaherty Oct. 25, 1932 2,041,112 Bucher May 19, 1936 2,077,160 WilsonApr. 13, 1937 2,129,723 Wood Sept. 13, 1938 2,158,868 Stacy May 16, 19392,178,220 Blancha Oct. 31, 1939 2,319,415 Li htfoot May 18, 1943

